Premier League: Stoke 3 Arsenal 1

Arsenal’s faltering Premier League title challenge finally ground to a halt as Stoke City claimed a deserved 3-1 win on Sunday.

Kenwyne Jones, Jermaine Pennant and Jonathan Walters contributed to the Gunners downfall, with Robin van Persie’s late effort a mere consolation after a feisty encounter.

A lively opening 20 minutes saw van Persie and Laurent Koscielny off target for the Gunners, with Pennant failing to find an open net at the opposite end after Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny had strayed off his line to punch away a Rory Delap cross.

Arsenal’s neat passing game came unstuck again though on 27 minutes as Stoke edged ahead from a set piece.

With Johan Djourou losing his footing Jones took full advantage to meet Pennant’s pinpoint right wing cross for the simplest of near post finishes.

With Arsene Wenger cutting a forlorn figure as he watched his one-time title chasers slip out of the reckoning, his mood will have soured further as Djourou played another unfortunate part in Stoke’s second goal.

The Swiss defender threw out a leg to block Pennant’s fierce 20 yard shot only for the ball to spin over Szczesny five minutes before the break and into the back of the net to make it 2-0.

The match threatened to boil over with several heated verbal and physical exchanges throughout – the most ferocious seeing Pennant and Jack Wilshere escape with just a yellow card each after a touchline foul on Stoke’s man of the match.

Arsenal’s hopes of a late rally after van Persie had tucked his shot under Asmir Begovic lasted less than 60 seconds with Walters lifting a one-on-one opportunity over the advancing Szczesny to hammer the final nail in the coffin and signal a sixth successive trophy less season for Arsenal.